Rack for multiple garbage and trash cans



Nov. 23,1965 J. L. MIZE 3,219,195

RACK FOR MULTIPLE GARBAGE AND TRASH CANS Filed May 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JOHN L. MIZ E BY W J @111? ATTORNEYS Nov. 23, 1965 J. MIZE RACK FOR MULTIPLE GARBAGE AND TRASH CANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 3, 1962 INVENTOR JOHN L. MIZE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,219,195 RACK FOR MULTIPLE GARBAGE AND TRASH CANS John L. Mize, Paducah, Ky., assignor of one-fourth to F. A. Caspar, Paducah, Ky. Filed May 3, 1962, Ser. No. 192,113 2 Claims. (Cl. 211-71) The present invention is a rack for multiple garbage and trash cans being a continuation-in-part of my application on a similar invention filed September 20, 1960, Serial No. 57,241, now abandoned. The device of my pending application has filled a void in the art and has been successfully commercialized, supplanting can racks, in many instances, which purported or were intended to obtain the same results. However, now after approximately two years of constant experiments and observing a great many of the racks in day to day use, I have made improvements which greatly enhance the value of the racks to the user and positively preclude removal of a standard garbage or trash can, except by the conscious action of a person following a predetermined modus operandi.

Objects of the invention are to provide a rack which is anchored, either by a ground supporting post, or to a stationary object, readily accessible to the user of the cans, to permit a handle of a can to be interengaged with a complemental part of the rack, in a manner to support the can under tension which is increased as the can is loaded, which forestalls any possibility of the can being accidentally disengaged from the rack by a person, object or elements, or disengaged by dogs, etc.; to provide a rack which positively holds the cans in position to prevent displacement from the rack without the use of any extraneous means.

Other objects of this invention will be manifest from the following description of the present preferred form of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a rack constructed in accordance with the present invention illustrating its application with multiple cans supported in an elevated position;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rack per se, the upright being shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a modified, simplified form of the invention adapted for use with one can;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the top of the upright in the form of invention used in FIG. 6, the upright being shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is another form of the invention illustrating its application supporting two cans on opposite sides of the upright;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the form of invention shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the top of the upright used in the form of invention shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the upright being shown fragmentarily;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of another form of the invention illustrating its application wherein the two can-engaging members are a unit anchored to a stationary support; and

Patented Nov. 23, 1965 FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the modified form of invention as illustrated in FIG. 12.

In the form of invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 the rack assembly includes an upright 20 preferably rectangular in cross section and made of tubular metal, the bottom of which is adapted to be anchored in a concrete or like foundation 21 formed in the ground 22.

Each of the four fiat sides 23 of the upright is equipped with a member generally designated 24, comprising a horizontal fiat spacer bar 25, the inner end of which is fixedly secured to the side 23 upon which it is mounted, the outer end carrying a saddle 26. The saddle is of arcuate configuration and elongated to extend appreciably beyond the sides of the upright 20, as shown to advantage in FIGS. 3 and 4. The arc of each saddle conforms to the contour of a standard garbage or trash can and is adapted for contiguous engagement with the latter, as shown in FIGS. 1-4. Mounted on the top of the upright 20, is an assembly generally designated 27, as shown to advantage in FIG. 5. This assembly includes a pair of metal straps 28, superimposed one on the other, at a point intermediate their ends, and extending at right angles. The other end of each strap is reversely folded upon itself to provide a can-retaining lip 29. The width of each lip is slightly shorter than the length of a standard can handle 30, a pair of which is customarily mounted on opposite sides of a conventional trash or garbage can 31, as advantageously illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing. The mouth, between the lip 29 and the body of the strap, is slightly in excess of the diameter of a handle 30, to provide a snug fit. Experiments have shown that, by making the strap body and lip of a width nearly approximating the distance between the ends of the standard can handle 34), maximum surface area contact is afforded, to positively prevent disengagement of the can from the rack by vertical movement of the can, and making it necessary in engaging and disengaging the can to follow a modus operandi which can only be performed by hand. In other words, in engaging the can handles with the assembly 27, it is necessary that the top of each can be tilted inwardly toward the center of the upright 20, permitting the handle 30 to enter the open month between the lip 29 and strap body. As the handle moves through the mouth toward the closed end of the latter, the can is permitted to gravitate into position as shown to advantage in FIG. 3, in which position one of the saddles 26 will be contiguous to the body of the can 31 at a point near the bottom of the can. In this way the can is held under tension on the rack, which tension is increased as the can is filled, not only to eifect a pulling action on the assembly 27 but likewise to increase pressure of the can against its saddle 26. This not only forestalls disengagement of the can by any vertical movement, but likewise prevents lateral displacement of a loaded, or partially loaded, can even in high winds.

To remove the can from disengagement with the assembly 27, it is necessary that the bottom of the can be pulled away from its saddle 26, following which the can is elevated until its engaged handle is in a substantially horizontal position, at which point the top of the can is tilted inwardly until the handle 30 passes through the open end of the mouth. When the handle clears the free end of the lip 29, the can may be disengaged in an obvious manner. Elevation of the can is customarily performed by the hand of the user engaging the free handle 30 of the can positioned diametrically to the engaged handle. The assembly 27 may be fixedly secured to the top of the upright 20, by welding the lower strap directly to the top of the upright, and by welding the top strap to the bottom strap, preferably along the side edges of 3 the lower strap directly beneath the bottom of the upper strap.

The form of invention illustrated in FIG. 6 is utilized for one can and consists of a simply constructed, inexpensive arrangement which, however, includes the advantageous features of the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-5. In this form of the invention the upright is indicated at 20', the saddle bar at 25' and saddle at 26. Only one-half of one strap of the assembly is necessary. In this form of invention the strap designated 27 has one end fixedly secured to the top of the upright 20' and the opposite end reversely folded to provide a lip 29'. The mouth of the assembly beneath the lip 29 is adapted for the reception of a handle 30' on a conventional garbage or trash can 31. The handle 30','as is also the case with the handles 30, are conventionally positioned below the top or open end of the can, above a line drawn through the center of the latter. After one of the handles 30' is interengaged with the strap 27', beneath the lip 29, the can 31 will pend, as shown in FIG. 6, and the can body will fall against the saddle 26'.

In the form of invention shown in FIGS. 9, and 11, the only diiference is that the part of the assembly 27 (FIG. 6) which engages the can handles, consists of a complete strap 27", the opposite ends of which are reversely folded to provide lips 29". The manner of engaging and disengaging the can or cans with the rack is exactly the same as in the modification shown in FIGS. 1-5.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 the rack assembly consists of a unit 32, and is formed from a single strap or bar of metal, the body of which is provided with openings 33. Screws 34 or the like may be engaged through these openings in order to anchor the unit assembly 32 with a fixed support 35. The top of the strap body is bent at right angles to provide an upper supporting arm 36, the free outer end of which is reversely folded upon itself to provide an overhanging lip 37. The mouth between the lip and the arm 36 is adapted to receive the handle 38 of a conventional trash or garbage can 39. The lower end of the unit assembly is also bent at right angles to provide a lower stabilizing arm 40 the outer end of which is equipped with a saddle 41. After the can handle has slid along the arm 36, into the mouth below the lip 37, the can will fall against the saddle 41. This accomplishes the same results ascribed to the other forms of the invention, supra.

This form of invention provides a simple, inexpensive supporting rack requiring a minimum amount of space and which may be secured to any stationary support such as a fence post, tree or the like. The method of engaging and disengaging the can from and with the rack is identical here as in the other forms of the invention.

While I have herein shown preferred forms of the invention, nevertheless it will be obvious that various 7 4 changes may be made within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

1. A support for multiple trash or garbage cans with side handles, including an upright anchored in a foundation and provided with multiple sides, a supporting assembly for all of the cans including a pair of inherently stable straps secured in overlapped relation, at right angles with each other, to the top of the upright, the free end of each strap extending horizontally beyond the plane of the upright and being reversely folded to provide a U- shape terminal on the end of each strap for the reception of a can handle, the mouth of each U being open in the direction of the upright to prevent disengagement of the can handle therefrom except by lateral movement of the handle, in the direction of the upright, a sufficient distance to clear the mouth of the U.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 with the addition of a stabilizing member mounted on each side of said upright, below the supporting assembly, each of said mem bers including a saddle conforming to the contour of the body of the can and adapted to be constantly held in engagement therewith under the normal displacement of the bottom of the can toward the upright while the can is pendently carried by the supporting assembly, the other handle of each can being adapted to facilitate its manual disengagement laterally through the open mouth of said lips.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 607,259 7/ 1898 Miller 248353 860,019 7/1907 Davis. 1,186,154 6/1916 Wood 248211 1,308,066 7/1919 Hayes 248211 1,791,019 2/1931 Wilson. 1,975,651 10/1934 Wolfe. 2,242,609 5/ 1941 Hammar 248353 2,291,811 8/ 1942 Johnson. 2,448,456 8/1948 Niskanen et a1. 211-71 2,601,413 6/1952 Miles 248211 2,604,291 7 2 Sollmann 248353 2,702,641 2/ 1955 Arthur 21171 2,929,512 3/1960 McDougle 21171 2,937,760 5/ 1960 Williams 211-71 FOREIGN PATENTS 3 86,047 1/ 193 3 Great Britain.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,701,700 2/1955 Williamson.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiner.

I. C. MUNRO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SUPPORT FOR A MULTIPLE TRASH OR GARBAGE CANS WITH SIDE HANDLES, INCLUDING AN UPRIGHT ANCHORED IN A FOUNDATION AND PROVIDED WITH MULTIPLE SIDES, A SUPPORTING ASSEMBLY FOR ALL OF THE CANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF INHERENTLY STABLE STRAPS SECURED IN OVERLAPED RELATION, AT RIGHT ANGLES WITH EACH OTHER, TO THE TOP OF THE UPRIGHT, THE FREE END OF EACH STRAP EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY BEYOND THE PLANE OF THE UPRIGHT AND BEING REVERSELY FOLDED TO PROVIDE A USHAPE TERMINAL ON THE END OF EACH STRAP FOR THE RECEPTION OF A CAN HANDLE, THE MOUTH OF EACH U BEING OPEN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE UPRIGHT TO PREVENT DISENGAGEMENT OF THE CAN HANDLE THEREFROM EXCEPT BY LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE, IN THE DIRECTION OF THE UPRIGHT, A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO CLEAR THE MOUTH OF THE U. 